The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and more specifically to an ink jet recording apparatus capable of improving the user friendly function while avoiding deterioration of the image quality.
Ink jet recording apparatuses for ejecting ink onto a recording medium to form a desired image are classified into substantially two types: a serial type ink jet recording apparatus equipped with a recording head arranged movable in one direction and a line type ink jet recording apparatus equipped with a stationary recording head.
One of serial type ink jet recording apparatuses is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-240316 where its ink jet (recording) heads are supplied with ink via flexible ink tubes from ink cartridges. This allows the ink tubes to be easily bent as the ink jet heads move.
On the other hand, a conventional line type ink jet recording apparatus is equipped with stationary recording heads and needs no such flexibility of the ink tubes as required in a serial type ink jet recording apparatus. The ink tubes can be used of which the wall is thick enough to improve the resistance to permeation of gas or liquid and thus permit no deterioration of the ink quality.